varroa floor

[user 6228]

Just noticed its a lot easier to search this forum directly through google than through the site 'Search' so will no longer be bothering anyone with stupid questions that have already been answered 20 times

The answers change. Sometime dramatically so.

 

[user 6228]

Nonsense. I leave the CB open all year with the mesh floor open except when the temperature drops to -10C or so.

The original recipe (Dr C.G. Butler 1941) has perforated zinc sheet over the feed holes

 

[bjosephd]

I find 'mite drop' a curious quandary. I feel the results can quite reasonably be interpreted as completely opposing conclusions.

ie.

There is a huge mite drop =
I have a serious mite problem, my bees are fighting off mites by the dozen.
OR
I don't have a mite problem because my bees are doing a great job of shedding and ejecting them.

There is a minimal mite drop =
I have no mites, hooray.
OR
I have millions of mites but my bees are completely failing to shed or eject them, so none are even making it through the mesh to the inspection board. Actually this tells me I either have a huge problem or no problem at all!

If I am not mistaken, after treatment you would hope to see a high mite drop (you've assisted in dispensing varroa). But you are treating because there was a high mite drop before the treatment. Or are you hoping for a significant increase in drop after treatment compared to the significant drop from before?!

Sounds to me all that mite drop count tells you is how many mites have dropped that were once up in the hive, but doesn't tell you anything about what's up in the hive right now.

 

[Ely]

Counting mites is a pretty pointless exercise

 

[BeeJayBee]

The [metal insert] tray is in. I just cleaned it. It was damp, which I think is not good? Should I be leaving it out, except for varroa mite monitoring?

A damp metal tray is not good for the bees. Leave it out unless you're monitoring.

Leaving it in long term can lead to a build up of debris, which the bees can't get at to clean, and can encourage wax moth.

Re crown boards - beekeeping equipment suppliers sell a multi-use board which is supposed to be used as a crown board, feeder board and clearer board (with the ghastly porter things). The only time any of the holes need to be open is when bees need to access a feeder that's sitting directly above one of the holes. Most of the time the holes should be closed.

Easier, though, to get some ply, polycarbonate or correx and make a proper crown board without any holes. Then put a lump of insulation above it to help keep the bees warm in winter and cool in summer - same as we do when we insulate the roof space of our homes.

advice from DEFRA re "Managing Varroa" (Google for the pdf at http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...=MMAeTkDRlFz8UC2nfqoFLQ&bvm=bv.95515949,d.ZGU) or buy a hard copy,

If anybody is trying to sell the hard copy of the Managing Varroa booklets then they are thieves. NBU information is free at the point of delivery, including the booklets, which are distributed to any association that asks for them.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I find 'mite drop' a curious quandary. I feel the results can quite reasonably be interpreted as completely opposing conclusions.

ie.

There is a huge mite drop =
I have a serious mite problem, my bees are fighting off mites by the dozen.
OR
I don't have a mite problem because my bees are doing a great job of shedding and ejecting them.

There is a minimal mite drop =
I have no mites, hooray.
OR
I have millions of mites but my bees are completely failing to shed or eject them, so none are even making it through the mesh to the inspection board. Actually this tells me I either have a huge problem or no problem at all!

If I am not mistaken, after treatment you would hope to see a high mite drop (you've assisted in dispensing varroa). But you are treating because there was a high mite drop before the treatment. Or are you hoping for a significant increase in drop after treatment compared to the significant drop from before?!

Sounds to me all that mite drop count tells you is how many mites have dropped that were once up in the hive, but doesn't tell you anything about what's up in the hive right now.

I agree, forking out some drone brood, coupled with a sugar roll or alcohol wash if a lot of mites are found in the drone brood during the spring/summer gives quite an accurate account of the mite situation.

 

[bowlerbee]

thanks Pargyle - what you say makes a lot of sense - we need to get a wooden board in i think, (although the construction of the hive base doesn't seem to allow for this, 3 mm gap.....) They are such lovely bees i want them to be happy in their new home so I will see what I can do.
I worry about the dead bees I found - have to look under the hive, with torch possibly, to check there is no hole in the mesh - ulp! I think they may have been trapped in there last time i put the tray in as now I see they like to hang about there and I didn't check when I put the tray in - so much to learn *sigh*.
Anyway we now have a sealed Queen cell in there, so plenty to do lol